The Littlest Scarecrow
by TheJauntyJabberwock
Summary: What happens when a little boy dresses like a Scarecrow for Halloween, and just happens to run into the real thing? Halloween One-shot.


**AN:** I wanted to write a something for Halloween specifically, so I took a break from my other various projects (and mid-terms) to pop out a quick something. Enjoy, and Happy Halloween.

* * *

"Don't be a twerp." Josh grumbled it to himself, kicking at an empty water bottle that had been left on the sidewalk. It was Halloween night, and while for a lot of Gotham that meant dangers unnumbered, there were the parents who kept their children inside and those who arranged a celebration of their own. For Josh, his older brother Eddie, and Eddie's two best friends Juan and Kyle, their parents were the later. A bunch of parents had organized a Halloween fair, where the kids could come and safely celebrate. There was a small haunted house some local college kids put together, games like bobbing for apples, and even a hay maze. Not a very big hay maze, Josh could almost see over the tops of the hay stacks as he jumped up, and it wasn't very long, but it was the thought that counted he supposed. At all the different events you could earn candy or prizes, and there were a lot of stations to get goodies with little more than the usual trick-or-treat. Though of course a lot of the grown-ups were teachers, and couldn't resist trying to make it education with a snippet of fun-facts or questions.

"Young man, don't just kick that trash, pick it up! There's a can right over there!" Old Mrs. McKenzie dressed as a witch didn't recognize Josh under his scarecrow costume, but he complied to the authority as he normally did and was granted a smile and handful of candy from the cauldron she carried.

"There's a good boy, and good boys earn treats. Are you having a happy Halloween?"

"Yes, of course Mrs. McKenzie."

"Why Josh! I almost didn't recognize you! Very _scary_ costume."

"Thank you Mrs. McKenzie."

"Now you should probably stay away from the Haunted House, I don't know what I would have done if I had seen you in there! I might have jumped out of my skin!"

"Alright, I won't Mrs. McKenzie."

She smiled, gave him a pat, and waddled away. She didn't mean it, of course. About him being scary. Josh was the shortest kid in his second grade class. Once his witchy teacher wondered off he shoved the candy into the pillow case he'd been lugging around, eyeing first the entrance into the very haunted house, and then the empty maze which he wound up sulking into. Happy Halloween. Yeah right! When he found what a good spot he was sure no one would bug him he sat and crossed his arms. Might as well eat his candy now, Eddie and the others would just steal it later anyhow.

"You don't seem to be having much fun." A low and downright sinister voice sounded from above him, making him jump right back to his feet and spin to find the source. He couldn't see anyone, maybe it was just his imagination? The only thing around was this scarecrow statue, and it seemed way too skinny to be some guy in a costume. He approached the figure carefully, eyeing it under his own mask suspiciously. It couldn't be real, right? Just in case, he reached out a hand, slowly, convincing himself this was just some kind of trick, but he still jumped back when it leaned down with a,

"Boo. Got you." He felt his face heat up and was glad it was hidden away.

"No you didn't, I wasn't scared." He crossed his arms in juvenile defiance and earned a chuckle from the other figure.

"No, not a terror like you. Nice costume." Josh puffed up a bit from that, stopping to collect his mostly empty pillow case.

"Not a big haul. Not big on the notion of harvest?"

"There's no point," he all but whined, "Eddie and the others always steal my candy anyhow. They say I don't need it."

"Well that's not very in the spirit, now is it?" Josh took another look at the spindly figure, scratching at the hay in his own attire.

"I'll tell you what," the figure went on and crouched down, "When they go to steal your candy this time, give them _these_." Josh examined the extended fingers, a handful of orange wrapped candy in the gloves.

"What're those?"

"A very special kind of treat. Promised to give them a fright."

"It won't hurt them, will it?"

"Would you care if it did?" his tiny hands hovered over the offering, hesitating. He thought about all the mean names they called him, they were supposed to be watching him here but they just told him to buzz off until it was time to go. They always did that. He wasn't big enough, or smart enough, or cool enough to play with the fourth graders. He snatched up the candies, putting them into his pockets separate from the other candy.

Just then he heard a scream from the other side of the lot.

"That's my cue." The mysterious stranger chuckled, and climbed over the walls of the maze with little effort at all. Just like that he was gone.

Josh wondered out of the maze, seeing many people standing around, others rushing about, and hearing more screams. Several people were collapsed and panicking. After a few moments Eddie found him and rushed to his side.

"What's going on?"

"Nothin, mom's coming to get us."

"What's wrong with them?" Eddie had a tight grip on his arm, pulling him towards the exit with Juan helping.

"Where's Kyle?"

"For once can you stop with the questions?" Juan seemed agitated.

"His mom came to pick him up early." Josh felt like that was a lie too, silently fuming since they thought he was too stupid. He saw Mrs. McKenzie as they passed, she was crouched on the concrete and sobbing about something, Mr. Mendez trying to reassure her with calm words. By the time they made their way to the front Police cars were already pulling up, and he could hear an ambulance on their way.

"Help is on the way, are you boys alright?" a lady officer was quick to stop and check up on them.

"We're okay. It only seems to be people who went in the haunted house." Juan answered her clearly and Josh felt Eddie's grip tighten.

"We didn't go in, it was too scary for Josh."

"Is not!" Josh piped up, "And didn't Kyle go-"

"Quiet, Josh. Our mom's coming to pick us up, officer."

"Alright, you boys stay where we can see you until then and have your mom check in with us before you go." They gave a nod and waited it out in silence. It didn't take long for their mom to arrive, checking in with the officers and rushing to their side.

"Are you boys okay?" she checked over each of them quickly, pulling of their masks and touching their faces.

"We're okay, what about Kyle?" so something had happened. Josh shot Juan a glare for refusing to tell him, but as always was ignored.

"He's going to be fine, they've got it all taken care of. Your mom says you can spend the night at our house, Juan." She was already guiding them to the car, nervous, "I'll make you boys some hot cider and we'll watch some movies." She promised as they loaded into the car.

Josh watched the lights flashing and the lot shrink into the distance behind them as they drove. No one said anything for the remainder of the ride, so he just watched out of the window and looked for the houses with decorations. It wasn't until they were home safe and the sleeping bags had been pulled out in the living room that the other two began to talk about what happened in hushed tones. They didn't think he could hear them.

"What do you think it was?"

"I don't know. They just started freaking out."

"I hope Kyle's going to be okay."

"Hey, Josh! Why don't you go help mom in the kitchen?"

"I don't wanna."

"Do what you're told, this Halloween is bad enough!" Josh was shuffling off the couch and towards the kitchen, when he felt in his pockets the candy that hadn't been left behind, remembering the encounter in the maze.

"We didn't even get to take any of our stash with us." He heard Juan lament. He shuffled back over, earning a glare from Eddie.

"I'm sorry Halloween was so bad this year, and for what ever happened to Kyle."

"Nothing happened to-" he held out the pieces,

"This is all I have left too. But I think you need it more."

"…You don't have to…thanks." They took the pieces from him, and he moved to the kitchen.

"Hey mom, you need any help?"

"Josh? Oh sure, of course. You can get the mugs from the dishwasher. Your father will probably want some when he gets home too, so get five. I'm just glad you boys are alright. It's over, we can put this night behind us."

* * *

Crane felt this was a pretty successful night. He had personally been responsible for the slower acting fear formula laced in the fog machines of not one, but five haunted house attractions through the city. He had passed out both personally and via dropping into unguarded candy bowls his special formula of treats. Why, he'd even had enough time to stop and help improve the night of one little boy dressed as, dare he say, himself. He can only imagine what a frightful fit the candy thieves would be in at this very moment. All of this without any apprehension at the hands of the bat or his runts. Yes, a very successful evening indeed. Maybe not the more dire of circumstances, maybe not his biggest of ploys, but then who didn't enjoy a little bit of extra fright on this of all nights in the year? Besides, it's not like any of his _tricks_ had been lethal.

"Happy Halloween, Gotham. Happy Halloween."


End file.
